I thought it fitting on this day to have a look at the history of the village war memorial. Each year on Remembrance Sunday in November the village's uniformed organisations and residents get together to remember those who died in the two world wars and the Cyprus campaign of the 1950s.
Those men have their names on the War Memorial. The Memorial itself has an interesting history.
A war shrine was proposed as early as December 1918 to commemorate the bravery of those who had lost their lives in the First World War. This was barely a month after the end of the war. A parish meeting to discuss the idea was held on 14th January, 1919. A committee was formed to steer the project and oversee the raising of funds. Two of the village war widows were co-opted onto the committee - wives of Arthur Hubbard and Frederick Curson.
Initially a site for the memorial was offered in Cann's Lane by Mr W. H. M Andrews who had previously served as a captain in the Fourth Norfolk Regiment. This would have necessitated the widening of the road but there were insufficient funds for this and a further meeting was called. On October 7th, 1919, it was unanimously agreed that the memorial should take the form of a stone cross in the Churchyard - the site of the original proposal.
The population of Hethersett according to the 1911 census was 1,093 (about one-sixth of what it is today). For the purposes of fund-raising the village was divided into sections with each household being visited. This resulted in £162 being realised (well over £4,000 in today's money). The cost of the memorial is not known but it was made by F.G Want and Sons of Dereham Road in Norwich.
The Memorial was officially dedicated on Sunday 11th July, 1920, and, in December, 1920 a border of flowers was put in place.
The Parish Magazine of June 1920 lays out the organisation and programme for the dedication service which was designed to honour the dead and give thanks for the survival of the nation.
"Seats will be reserved in church for the relatives, who are requested to follow immediately behind the choir and clergy in the procession to the memorial from the church. They are also invited to place wreaths on the memorial after the Dedication. The congregation are also requested to proceed to the churchyard. It is unnecessary to invite parishioners to be present on this occasion, as all who can will undoubtedly desire to take this opportunity of honouring the men of Hethersett who laid down their lives in the War. It is, however, hoped that all Parish Societies, Clubs and Organisations will endeavour to be present officially. Service will commence at 11 o'clock. The dedication will be as near noon as possible."
After a service there was a procession to the memorial and a dedication by Canon Pelham.
A report of the Dedication Day appeared in the Norfolk News of Saturday 17th July 1920:
"This War Memorial erected by public subscription to the memory of the men of this village, who fell in the war, was dedicated on Sunday. Canon Pelham preached an appropriate sermon at the usual matins service to an overflowing congregation, taking for his text "Underneath are everlasting arms." At the conclusion of an impressive service, in which the singing of both choir and congregation was splendid, the clergy, choir and congregation proceeded to the side of the memorial quite close to the north door of the church in the churchyard. Meanwhile the organist, Mr J. Sword, played the "Dead March." The memorial takes the form of a cross, a replica of the cross erected on the soldiers' graves in France, worked in Portland stone, standing on an octagonal base. The dedication ceremony was performed by Canon Pelham, assisted by the rector (the Rev F. Jarvis), after which the hymn beginning "Our life is but a fading dawn" was sung. A bugler from the Norfolk Regiment sounded The Last Post at the conclusion of the ceremony ........ Both of the local friendly societies, the Oddfellows and the Foresters were represented by contingents of members. The local company of bellringers rang a muffled peel on the church bells."
The parish magazine of the time had the following to say:
"We shall long remember the dignified and beautiful service on Sunday, July 11th, when our Memorial was dedicated. The relatives of the men whose names are inscribed on the Cross, would wish to thank all who helped to make the service what it was. It would perhaps seem out of place here to congratulate one another, but we should like the Choir, the Organist, the Bell-ringers and all who so gladly gave their assistance, to know that their well rendered services were deeply appreciated on this occasion which meant so much to many of our parishioners. Especially we are grateful to Canon S. Pelham for coming over and giving us such a thoughtful and helpful address.
The names of those who died in the Second World War were subsequently added to the memorial. You can find more on the history of the memorial at
https://hethersettatwar.weebly.com/hethersett-war-memorial.html